Unfortunately, Nutrafin Cycle will not cycle your tank for you. For a fishless cycle, all you need is dechlorinated water in your tank and a source of ammonia. Nitrifying bacteria will develop just fine without other additives, so next time you can save your money on those. The easiest way to cycle your tank is to put a raw shrimp from the grocery store in there and let it rot. It's gross, but very easy and it works. One suggestion I have is to pick up a test kit so you can monitor ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in your tank. Your test kit will give you a rough idea of where you are in the cycling process. Test strips are much less accurate than liquid reagent kits, so I'd recommend trying a kit like API's Freshwater Master Kit.

It looks like you're off to a good start! Welcome to FL and we are looking forward to more pics. Let us know if you have any questions.

Unfortunately, Nutrafin Cycle will not cycle your tank for you. For a fishless cycle, all you need is dechlorinated water in your tank and a source of ammonia. Nitrifying bacteria will develop just fine without other additives, so next time you can save your money on those. The easiest way to cycle your tank is to put a raw shrimp from the grocery store in there and let it rot. It's gross, but very easy and it works. One suggestion I have is to pick up a test kit so you can monitor ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in your tank. Your test kit will give you a rough idea of where you are in the cycling process. Test strips are much less accurate than liquid reagent kits, so I'd recommend trying a kit like API's Freshwater Master Kit.

It looks like you're off to a good start! Welcome to FL and we are looking forward to more pics. Let us know if you have any questions.

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I agree. Cycle was recommended to me by 3 different stores, and after I bought some, I found out online that it doesn't contain aquatic bacteria, so the bacteria die off. Then you have to keep adding the product, so your tank hasnt really cycled.

Another suggestion about the raw shrimp (some people also use pure ammonia or fish food) is to put te shrimp in a new panty hose or sock. It will be much easier to take out of the tank when you are done with it.

And actually, adding the Cycle to your tank can actually lengthen the time it takes your tank to cycle by competing with the aquatic bacteria that grow naturally. The Cycle terrestrial bacteria will have to die off to allow the aquatic bacteria to grow.

Just changing the water will not get rid of the Cycle bacteria--you'd have to kill it somehow to start over. Or you can use the shrimp and just wait, testing along the way to know how close you are to being cycled. Ammonia 0; Nitrite 0; Nitrates present. Good looking tank--will look even better with fish. Good luck and welcome.

I agree with the above posters concerning the product "Cycle". Sometimes fish stores do not give out the best of knowledge as many of us have found out.

Your tank looks beautiful! With a little time an patience I'm sure it's going to be a great home for your fish. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Another option to cycle your tank is Tetra Safe Start (TSS). It's the only bacterial additive that I know of that can work to cycle a tank quickly. Many of our members have had great success with it and some have not. Here is another link you may find helpful concerning TSS:Q & A With Tetra about Tetra SafeStart

I have only applied one treatment so far with the Cycle product so am I dead in the water or do I just add some fish flakes or shrimp the way the tank stands now and hope for the best? Also how soon should I start seeing first traces of ammonia?

Adding some raw shrimp or fish flakes would do. Or you could swing by the store to get a bottle of Tetra Safestart recommended by members here. But you'll have to get your fish in the tank the same time you pour the bottle in. Here's a link to a thread on this forum about the product itself.

I would wait a few days with no ammonia added to let the nutrafin cycle bacteria die, then do a massive water change, and then use one of the above cyclling methods. That way, your good bacteria isn't competing with the bottle you added.

Be careful with the pet store people. Although they may sound knowledgeable, or seem to have your and/or your fish's best interests at heart, they really only want to sell. A healthy tank makes no money for them. They will often give bad advice either because they really have no clue, or because they want to make money. It is always best to come here before you spend your money. If the person at the store tell you something that "you need" come here and ask before buying. It is best to check with the forum first.

Again, congrats!

As far as stocking goes, a dwarf gourami, either one large school of tetras 9 - 11 or break it into two small schools, 5 and 5, and a small school of either kuhli loaches, or an oto.

Check out the profiles page and see if anything catches your attention. :;id Think of color, grouping, areas of the tank... It will all be listed there. That is where my dreams come from. ;D

I would wait a few days with no ammonia added to let the nutrafin cycle bacteria die, then do a massive water change, and then use one of the above cyclling methods. That way, your good bacteria isn't competing with the bottle you added.

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It won't hurt anything, but isn't necessary IMO. If the bacteria in the Cycle additive is going to die regardless, then it's going to do so in the presence of ammonia as well. The bacteria that needs to be present is going to develop whether you wait or not. One dose of Cycle isn't going to be any stiff competition for it.

Thanks to all for the great advice for now I added some sample fish food and plan to pickup a API Master test kit in the next few days. I guess its just watch and wait from here. Thanks again for the help.

Thanks to all for the great advice for now I added some sample fish food and plan to pickup a API Master test kit in the next few days. I guess its just watch and wait from here. Thanks again for the help.

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Good choice. Adding fish food twice daily should keep the ammonia level up for the good bacteria to grow. Keep that up until your water readings are ammonia 0; nitirite 0; nitrate present consistently.